AT-Network July 2012

at-network@lists.umanitoba.ca

6 participants
26 discussions

New Complete Streets, Complete Networks design manual

by Beth McKechnie

Active Trans publishes groundbreaking design manual http://www.activetrans.org/blog/paul-lippens/just-complete-streets-complete… Active Transportation Alliance is proud to announce the publication of our new design manual, *Complete Streets, Complete Networks*. The manual is a visually compelling introduction to the principles of Complete Streets roadway design and an elegant collection of resources for planners. Over two years in the making, the *Complete Streets, Complete Networks*manual was conceived as a catalyst for new professional practices in urban design. It serves as a comprehensive list of best practices, guidelines, and project delivery processes. But it goes beyond traditional roadway design guidance to include a policy framework that city planners designers and decision makers can follow to create great places to bike, walk and use transit. The manual was funded through the Cook County Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative, which was created to improve access to physical activity and nutrition through changes to policies, systems and the built environment. As part of this project, Active Transportation Alliance was contracted to help 25 local governments and school districts in suburban Cook County develop and enact policies and plans to improve the bicycling, pedestrian, and transit networks in the communities. The *Complete Streets, Complete Networks* manual is a resource to help these and other communities create healthier transportation choices. We have a limited supply of printed copies of *Complete Streets, Complete Networks*. If you are interested in purchasing a copy, please e-mail Dan Persky, Director of Planning and Policy, at dan(a)activetrans.org<http://www.activetrans.org/blog/paul-lippens/%27+String.fromCharCode%28100,…> . A downloadable version of the manual is available here<http://www.atpolicy.org/Design>. We are in the process of uploading highlights from the manual in the form of Word files, Excel tables, photos, and illustrations. We’ll post updates as more of this content is made available.

11 years, 9 months

AT network expanded in Steinbach

by Beth McKechnie

Active transportation network expanded in Steinbach Posted on 07/26/2012, 10:09 am, by the City of Steinbach http://www.mysteinbach.ca/newsblog/16527.html Walkers, runners, cyclists, and rollerblading enthusiasts will be happy to note that there is another paved active route in Steinbach. The City reports that the newly paved pathway through L.A. Barkman Park and the Steinbach Soccer Park, all the way to PTH 52 West, was completed on July 24. A second edition of the City’s Share the Road brochure, showing Steinbach’s active walk/cycle routes, will become available early August. [image: Inline image 1] Pathway through Soccer Park connecting to LA Barkman Park – Photo courtesy of City of Steinbach.

11 years, 9 months

Building bikes, educating youth in Fort Richmond - ITE Bike Build

by Shoni Litinsky

Hi Everyone, Tomorrow morning we are joining the year long efforts of the University of Manitoba's Institute of Transportation Engineers, The U of M Bike Dungeon, and the WRENCH who have worked throughout the year to build 10 bikes for youth in need in the Fort Richmond area. Through our work in the neighbourhood on a project called Bike Walk Roll Fort Richmond, we were able to support this group to find youth in the community in need of bicycles, an host an education workshop to help build the skills necessary to cycle to school. Here is a great clip, and a story will follow in the Metro as well: http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=728348 Congratulations to all of the people who have made this happen, we are also so excited to be a part of it! -- *Shoni Litinsky* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>

11 years, 9 months

PEMBINA HWY - Bike Lanes

by Janice Lukes

Pembina Update for those of you who don't travel the strip daily - NOT AVOIDING CONSTRUCTION: I confess - I make a point of NOT avoiding construction on Pembina (Plaza to Chevrier) too much excitement - unbelievable really - photos attached. North bound lane is being widened into median. KEY CBC INTERVIEW: An absolute MUST LISTEN TO if you have not heard it - and if you have - listen again - key information for sure. Yesterday am - a conversation with CBC and Luis Escobar, Director of Transportation - City of Winnipeg: CBC Information Radio- http://www.cbc.ca/inforadio/ Scroll down to Winnipeg Major Road Bike Lanes and click on listen button. TWO KEY POINTS TO NOTE: 1. All along many of us involved with the Pembina project were told the poly posts (vertical upright buffered barrier posts) would be REMOVED for the winter season due to plowing challenges- thus removing the visual indication of the bike lane. From this interview - I understand Luis to clearly indicate the poly posts will remain IN DURING the winter season with plowing to occur - brilliant if this is the case with so many cyclists travelling Pembina in the winter 2. NOTE his discussion around STRATEGIC PLAN (see top right corner by volume - 8:29 into the interview) and SPECIFICALLY - Luis comments: " . . . . . until the strategic plan is developed . . . we will still be looking at the needs BASED ON WHAT the city HEARS from cycling and active transportation groups. " - an encouragement to all to 'articulate' AT desires to elected officials for sure - 3. WHAT's NEXT? It's great to hear the question 'what's next' - where is the next strip of this infrastructure going in - wow - The Pembina project is a bold move for the city - for sure there is apprehension - definitely worth a thank you email to your City Councillor for supporting it and enabling it. Janice Lukes

11 years, 9 months

Thompson youngster pushes pedals and a mower!

by Shoni Litinsky

A great story for a hot Friday in the summer! This post can be found on the Green Action Centre blog <http://greenactioncentre.ca/2012/pedals-and-a-mower/>and was written by Bruce Krentz (Burntwood Regional Health Authority) in Thompson, Manitoba. We are happy that this entrepreneur is a student at one of the schools we work with up there through School Travel Planning. Go Colin!!! ____________________________________________________ Pushing pedals and pushing a lawnmower Colin Hall is greening up the environment and the yards in Thompson. Being a little too young to take the wheel hasn’t cut in to his earning potential. A mountain bike and a custom built trailer are all he needs to move around to the growing list of homes on his client list. It was a conversation with his Grandfather that got the wheels turning on his little entrepreneurial venture. ”Why would you work for a few dollars an hour when you could work for yourself” he asked Colin, in response queries about where he could find a summer job. Wayne Hall is not only a businessman himself but also a handyman, so before Colin could say “Can you drive me there”, Grandpa’s workshop was buzzing; and so was the kitchen table with negotiations. In the time it took to build a flat deck bicycle trailer, Grandma had signed on as the pro-bono accountant and “Colin Hall Lawn Mowing” was up and running. His rig is right-sized to hold: a lawn mower, weed whacker and a few sundries, like bug spray water and a log book. When he took delivery, the shakedown cruise wasn’t just a chance to test its road-worthiness it was also an advertising stunt. Colin delivered flyers, with his equipment in tow, attracting more attention than the ice cream man. This young peddler has secured numerous private contracts and is also doing work for a local Real-Estate agent. In peak season he is cutting 3 – 5 lawns a day, dependent on all the usual factors like rain, sun and invitations to things more appealing than cutting grass. Colin smiled as he explained that it isn’t all work this summer but the grass never stops growing so if he takes a day or two off, he knows the next ones will be busy. With those full days, Colin is raking in some significant spending money for his upcoming grade 8 year. His accountant will hold all the dollars he piles up, dispersing them equally over the course of the whole year. “He’ll get a pay-check every Friday even after the grass is under a cozy blanket of snow” said Grandma. In addition to monetary benefits, his Phys Ed. teacher will be happy to see that, at least one kid’s mobile device, was a bicycle and not phone. Thompson is a great size for his cycle based transportation. He can pack up and move almost as fast as the competition, without ever gassing up, and there is enough grass around to keep him in business the entire growing season. Although with jobs as far as 4 km apart, he is thankful for a trailer that runs smooth. Greening things up in Thompson more ways than one, the ambitious, Colin Hall is a model and an inspiration for us all. -- *Shoni Litinsky* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>

11 years, 9 months

City of Winnipeg News Release - Construction to begin on Pembina Highway Buffered Bike Lanes Project

by Janice Lukes

This was released to media today - So far - all that is happening on Pembina is the delivery of lots of construction signs and posts. Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: cid:image001.png@01CC88E0.FA0A1B80 For Immediate Release Thursday, July 19, 2012 Construction to begin on Pembina Highway Buffered Bike Lanes Project Project the first-of-its-kind in Winnipeg's Active Transportation network Winnipeg, MB - Beginning the week of July 23, 2012, the City of Winnipeg will begin constructing buffered bikes lanes on Pembina Highway between Crescent and Plaza Drives as part of a rehabilitation project. Over the next four months, the northbound lanes of Pembina Highway will be rehabilitated and buffered bike lanes will be added next to the curb lane on both the northbound and southbound directions. These buffered bike lanes will connect the Bishop Grandin Greenway and the bike route along Crescent Drive. This section of Pembina Highway is unique on the Active Transportation network, as it is the only feasible route to connect two existing Active Transportation facilities. Normally, adjacent streets with lower traffic volumes would be used for establishing Active Transportation routes. However, the properties on the east side of this section of Pembina Highway back onto the Red River and west of this section is an industrial area where there are no residential streets connecting Chevrier Boulevard to Bishop Grandin Boulevard. When complete, this portion of Pembina Highway will accommodate three traffic lanes, a buffered bike lane and enhanced bus stops designed to accommodate larger articulated buses and improved delineation for transit riders, pedestrians and cyclists. This project is another step in applying the Council-adopted Transportation Master Plan as part of OurWinnipeg. These documents outline the vision in which the City should grow in the next 25 years and specifically how the transportation system is to provide mobility options to all Winnipeggers. For more information, visit: http://www.winnipeg.ca/publicworks/MajorProjects/ActiveTransportation/Pembin aBufferedBikeLanes/ -30- Media inquiries should be directed to the City of Winnipeg Media Inquiry Line at 204-986-6000 or via email at MediaInquiry(a)winnipeg.ca Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/cityofwinnipeg <http://www.facebook.com/cityofwinnipeg> Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/cityofwinnipeg <http://www.twitter.com/cityofwinnipeg>

11 years, 9 months

Commuters Pedal to Work on Their Very Own Superhighway

by Beth McKechnie

Commuters Pedal to Work on Their Very Own Superhighway http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/world/europe/in-denmark-pedaling-to-work-… COPENHAGEN — Picture 11 miles of smoothly paved bike path meandering through the countryside. Largely uninterrupted by roads or intersections, it passes fields, backyards, chirping birds, a lake, some ducks and, at every mile, an air pump. An 11-mile-long path called a bicycle superhighway has opened between Copenhagen and Albertslund, a western suburb. For some Danes, this is the morning commute. Susan Nielsen, a 59-year-old schoolteacher, was one of a handful of people taking advantage of Denmark’s first “superhighway” for bicycles on a recent morning, about halfway between Copenhagen and Albertslund, a suburb, which is the highway’s endpoint. “I’m very glad because of the better pavement,” said Ms. Nielsen, who wore a rain jacket and carried a pair of pants in a backpack to put on after her 40-minute commute. The cycle superhighway, which opened in April, is the first of 26 routes scheduled to be built to encourage more people to commute to and from Copenhagen by bicycle. More bike path than the Interstate its name suggests, it is the brainchild of city planners who were looking for ways to increase bicycle use in a place where half of the residents already bike to work or to school every day. “We are very good, but we want to be better,” said Brian Hansen, the head of Copenhagen’s traffic planning section. He and his team saw potential in suburban commuters, most of whom use cars or public transportation to reach the city. “A typical cyclist uses the bicycle within five kilometers,” or about three miles, said Mr. Hansen, whose office keeps a coat rack of ponchos that bicycling employees can borrow in case of rain. “We thought: How do we get people to take longer bicycle rides?” They decided to make cycle paths look more like automobile freeways. While there is a good existing network of bicycle pathways around Copenhagen, standards across municipalities can be inconsistent, with some stretches having inadequate pavement, lighting or winter maintenance, as well as unsafe intersections and gaps. “It doesn’t work if you have a good route, then a section in the middle is covered in snow,” said Lise Borgstrom Henriksen, spokeswoman for the cycle superhighway secretariat. “People won’t ride to work then.” For the superhighway project, Copenhagen and 21 local governments teamed up to ensure that there were contiguous, standardized bike routes into the capital across distances of up to 14 miles. “We want people to perceive these routes as a serious alternative,” Mr. Hansen said, “like taking the bus, car or train.” The plan has received widespread support in a country whose left- and right-leaning lawmakers both regularly bike to work (albeit on slightly different models of bicycle). Riding on the first superhighway, which grew more crowded as it neared the city, Marianne Bagge-Petersen said she was heading to a support group for job seekers. “I think it’s very cool,” she said, noting that the path allowed her to avoid roads with more car traffic. “Taking the bike makes me feel good about myself. I’m looking for a job, and if I don’t get out, it’s going to be a very long day.” The Capital Region of Denmark, a political body responsible for public hospitals as well as regional development, has provided $1.6 million for the superhighway project. “When we look at public hospitals, we look very much at how to reduce cost,” said a regional councilor, Lars Gaardhoj, who had just picked up his three small children in a cargo bike decorated with elephants. “It’s a common saying among doctors that the best patient is the patient you never see. Anything we can do to get less pollution and less traffic is going to mean healthier, maybe happier, people.” In Denmark, thanks to measures like the superhighway, commuters choose bicycles because they are the fastest and most convenient transportation option. “It’s not because the Danes are more environmentally friendly,” said Gil Penalosa, executive director of 8-80 Cities, a Canadian organization that works to make cities healthier. “It’s not because they eat something different at breakfast.” Lars Gemzo, a partner at Gehl Architects, said that within Copenhagen, biking was already the best option for many kinds of trips. “If you want to drive a car for a medium distance, you know you are a fool,” he said. “You are going to waste time.” Danish statistics show that every 6 miles biked instead of driven saves 3 1/2 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions and 9 cents in health care costs. But many cite happiness among the chief benefits of bicycle commuting. “When you have been biking for 30 minutes, you have a really good feeling about yourself,” said Henrik Dam Kristensen, the minister for transport, who supports the superhighways. “You really enjoy a glass of wine because you’ve earned it.” Frits Bredal, the head of communications at the Danish Cyclists’ Federation, cautioned that the superhighways were not perfect. “Ideally, there would be no red lights, there would be a perfect pavement, no holes, no obstacles, a real highway,” Mr. Bredal said. Several biking innovations are being tested in Copenhagen. Some, like footrests and “green wave” technology, which times traffic lights at rush hour to suit bikers, have already been put into place on the superhighway. Others, like garbage cans tilted at an angle for easy access and “conversation” lanes, where two people can ride side by side and talk, might show up on long-distance routes in the future. Superhighway users can also look forward to some variation on the “karma campaign,” now under way in Copenhagen, in which city employees take to the streets with boxes of chocolate to reward cyclists who adhere to the five rules of cycling: be nice, signal, stay to the right, overtake carefully and, rather than let bicycle bells irritate you, do your best to appreciate them. The next superhighway will link Copenhagen with the municipality of Fureso, to the northwest. There, the existing bike path takes riders through a beautiful forest that is, unfortunately, very dark at night. Last winter, to comply with superhighway standards, Fureso tested solar-powered lighting. “People were so happy about it,” said Lene Hartmann, Fureso’s climate project leader. “One rider said, ‘We feel like the trolls are taking care of us.’ ” Several years ago, a Fureso resident, Karsten Bruun Hansen, started a “bike bus,” in which cyclists meet and commute together, taking turns blocking the wind. (Inspired by Mr. Hansen’s idea, the municipality also created a bike bus for children to ride to school together.) Mr. Hansen, who estimates that he personally saves a ton of carbon dioxide every year, hopes that the superhighway will encourage more people to ride their bikes. “It’s unavoidable to commute to work,” Mr. Hansen said. “This way, you are using the time doing something fun.” Ole Bondo Christensen, Fureso’s mayor, is also looking forward to the improvements that the superhighway will bring. Mr. Christensen, who does not own a car, bikes nearly four miles to work every day. “It’s my way to clear my brain,” he said. “Sometimes I get new ideas.” This summer, after the rest of the solar-powered lights are installed, Fureso’s section of the road will be superhighway-ready. “Now, the wind should always be at your back,” Mr. Christensen said with a smile. “We are working on that.”

11 years, 9 months

City of Winnipeg Motion to reduce residential speed limits

by Anders Swanson

*[further to a previous article re: the chief medical officer in Toronto calling for reduced residential speed limits across the board, see highlighted text below - anders]* source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2012/07/18/mb-city-council-wra… Winnipeg council wraps session for summer Winnipeg's city council checked off a number of outstanding issues from its list Wednesday as it closed shop for the summer. Among the decisions made, council approved reduced speeds in school zones, dropping to 30 km/h from the present 50. Implementing the move affecting 250 school zones will be expensive, Mayor Sam Katz admitted. "You're talking about $4,000 a school — that's No. 1," he said. "There's concrete involved: You put these in concrete bases, you erect them, you have to manufacture the signs. You know, this isn't like a yard sale and you throw up a sign. It's probably more than what most people would think." However, Katz said he believes the city's Public Works Department is asking for more money than what might be needed to ensure it won't have to come back to the city for additional funding. Because setting speed limits is a provincial responsibility under the Highway Traffic Act, the city must wait for the province to give the bill final reading, which is expected by the end of the year. Once approved, the signs are expected to be erected by spring. Two councillors wanted to extend the reduction to Winnipeg's residential streets, a proposal that will be considered in the fall.

11 years, 9 months

The New Face of Cycling

by Beth McKechnie

[Warning: This is a long but very worthwhile article to read when you have a few moments and/or need some inspiration. And while it's U.S.-focused, much, if not all, of it translates to Winnipeg's cultural mix, concentration of AT facilities in wealthier areas of the city, and personal safety concerns around cycling in some neighbourhoods. I particularly like the idea of working to include secure bike parking in public housing units and outreach/cycling education provided by someone who lives in the neighbourhood and becomes a role model. -cheers, Beth] *Momentum Magazine* The New Face of Cycling<http://momentummag.com/articles/the-new-face-of-cycling/index.html> by Carolyn Szczepanski <http://momentummag.com/topics/carolyn_szczepanski_1> June 13, 2012 *Stereotypes about bicycling are falling away as diverse communities adopt and promote the cycling lifestyle* >From every perspective, bicycling was a part of Ed Ewing’s upbringing. During the summer months, Ewing’s father rode his bike to work. On the weekends, bike outings were a common family activity. From an early age, Ewing’s bicycle was his transportation to and from school, football practice and his summer job. But, because he rode a bike in a predominantly African-American neighborhood in Minneapolis, MN, Ewing caught flak from his friends. “They didn’t understand it,” he said. “They’re like, ‘Are you turning white? Why are you doing that? Black people don’t bike’.” The outsider status cut both ways. Inspired by the Tour de France, Ewing started racing in high school. But out on the local circuit, he was often the only black cyclist at competitions. “At bike races people were like, ‘Who is this kid?’” he remembers. “There’s this fishbowl effect of everyone staring at you – and you just want to ride your bike.” As a young African-American, Ewing didn’t fit the cycling stereotype. According to the US Department of Transportation, a full 83 percent of bicycle trips in 2001 were made by whites. As of 2009, Caucasians still accounted for 77 percent of trips. But that’s changing. Across North America, people from all cultural and racial backgrounds are adopting the cycling lifestyle. In fact, according to a 2011 study from Rutgers researcher John Pucher “cycling rates are rising fastest among African-Americans, Hispanics and Asian-Americans.” Now living in Seattle, Ewing is propelling that shift. Four years ago he was approached by the Cascade Bicycle Club. At 14,000 members, Cascade was already one of the largest bike organizations in the nation – but, Ewing said, the majority of its membership was 50- to 60-year-old white men. “We looked at ethnic diversity and gender diversity and realized we have a responsibility to change those numbers,” Ewing said. “Then we looked at the communities we served. We do a lot of activism work on bike lanes, greenways and making streets safe, but a lot of those initiatives were not in communities of color.” >From Seattle to Toronto, advocacy organizations and citizen activists are mobilizing, creating the social and political networks that are redefining the face of cycling in many neighborhoods and cities. Back in Ewing’s hometown of Minneapolis, Anthony Taylor helped establish the National Brotherhood of Cyclists – a rapidly growing coalition of African-American cycling clubs. The group started 12 years ago with three black women looking to train for an AIDS benefit ride. Now Taylor flies all over the country, spreading the message that bicycling can – and must – be accessible to all. “To create a true movement in this country, we will have to turn around the top 25 major metropolitan communities,” Taylor said. “And, from that perspective, you know who has to be involved? People of color. They will have to be engaged.” *The Generational and Cultural Gap* Like many teenagers, Adolfo Hernandez abandoned his bicycle when he entered high school. As a kid, he tooled around Little Village, a predominantly Mexican neighborhood in West Chicago, IL, on two wheels. But when he hit adulthood, he relied on public transit. One day, after college, he decided to ride his bicycle 6 miles (10 kilometers) to his job at the YMCA. He braved major arterials roads with terrifying traffic on an old mountain bike, but still arrived at work feeling fresh and energized. Hernandez was hooked on the cycling lifestyle. But his parents, who had emigrated from Mexico, were perplexed. “A lot of people come to this country, including my parents, with a set idea of what the American Dream is and what it means to be successful,” Hernandez said. “I remember my mom and dad saying, ‘Why are you riding a bike? You can afford a car.’ They didn’t mean it in a derogatory way, but riding a bicycle, to them, meant not having the means to get around any other way. In some ways, the car is part of the American Dream.” According to a 2010 study published in Transport Policy, newly arrived immigrants are 41 times more likely to ride a bicycle than native-born Americans – but that propensity plummets to half that in just four years. Over the course of a decade, immigrants’ automobile mode share rises from 30 to nearly 42 percent, while bicycle mode share drops from 1.8 to 0.5 percent. Income could be a factor, the report suggests, as higher income is typically associated with higher automobile use. *Missing Role Models* Back in Singapore, Stanley Teo rarely rode a bicycle, given the high temperatures and thick humidity. But when he moved to Toronto, ON in 2003, economic necessity played a large role in his getting around on two wheels. “As someone who was new to the country, I was somewhat shocked to find out how expensive it is to travel around the city on public transportation,” he said. Because he lived and worked downtown, bicycling was a means to avoid gridlock, save money and explore the city, but Teo didn’t immediately feel welcomed into the cycling fold. “I felt that the bike culture here – cycling-related social events, media images and interactions on the streets – was a predominantly and exclusively a ‘white male’ activity,” he said. Ewing suggests that one of the barriers to biking is a lack of role models in the African-American community, as well. “When you grow up as a minority, you don’t see a lot of minority symbols out there, positive symbols,” he said. “That subconsciously plays on you your entire life and it’s a very, very powerful thing.” So when African-American cyclists are invisible in the media, in popular culture and on the streets of your community, it diminishes the appeal of bicycling. “It’s not until you see someone who looks like you doing that activity and being successful that you see it as possible, as a reality,” he said. That lack of cultural peers also affected Lacourdaire Camargo, a Latina cyclist in Chicago. For her parents, who grew up in Mexico, riding bikes was seen as a luxury for the rich or a means of transportation for working men. In Chicago, Camargo’s role models for cycling were the outgoing neighborhood boys of her youth and, as an adult, the eccentric bike messengers who defied traffic near her downtown office. “Before I started riding, I viewed cyclists as either hipsters with tattoos or the power-ranger, Lance-Armstrong individuals,” she said. “I’m a Latina, no tattoos, and I’m definitely no Jillian Michaels, so I often wonder where I fit in all this. Truthfully, I still don’t see too many minorities cycling, though I know they’re out there.” *Overcoming Stereotypes* Taylor suggests the lower rates of cycling in the African-American community run even deeper. “I believe there are internal conversations about what it means to be black in this country,” he said. “There are certain things that white people do and, by me doing them, it somehow makes me less black.” So while phrases like “Black folks don’t swim” or “Black folks don’t bike” may not be true, Taylor said, they still hold power because they are still so widespread. And, in many communities, the bicycle could be perceived as a threat. “The last time we had a major fundamental shift in transportation it was the expansion of highway system – and the African American community was significantly impacted by it,” Taylor explained. “There’s case after case after case where that shift literally destroyed historically African-American neighborhoods, not just displacing people from their homes, but businesses and cultural centers, too.” And, in some communities, bicycles are seen as the harbinger of another cultural tidal wave. “For many, when they see these bike lanes coming into their neighborhoods it represents gentrification,” Taylor said. “It represents them moving out and young white people moving in.” Robynn Takayama, a Japanese-American cyclist in San Francisco, CA, emphasizes that, while the young white stereotype exists, that’s far from the true picture of bicycling in the Bay Area. “Some things, like participation of the [San Francisco] Bicycle Coalition and the more established bike social circles, you may see those [predominantly white] demographics,” she said. “But out on the street, getting to and from work, there’s a lot of diversity.” And, given the transportation culture in many Asian countries, that doesn’t surprise her. “I’ve been to Sri Lanka, and people are riding bikes carrying their kids, carrying their laundry, carrying wares they’re selling on the streets – and the same in the Philippines,” she said. “When you look at developing countries, bicycling is an important part of transportation there. It’s not that people of color don’t bike here, but I think there can be financial barriers, infrastructure barriers. When you look at some of the lower income neighborhoods, the potholes there are out of control.” *Wanted: Access and Infrastructure* Camargo didn’t have any of the traditional resources for adopting a cycling lifestyle. There wasn’t a single bike shop in her neighborhood of Little Village. When she ventured to North Chicago to buy a bike, her new Raleigh was stolen within a few months. Working downtown, she recognized the growing ranks of urban professionals riding in to work, but none of those folks were coming from the South Side, where she lived. “But, I thought, even if it wasn’t happening on my side of town, it didn’t mean it was forbidden,” she said. “I decided that if other folks that lived up North could do it, then I could too. But cycling is a bit more challenging on the south and west side of Chicago, because there really aren’t a lot of bike lanes or bike-friendly zones. I feel that there’s a disparity.” Certainly, a lack of infrastructure could play a significant role in stifling cycling in some communities. In California last year, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC) investigated the intersection of household income, bicycle safety and bicycle infrastructure in some of LA’s diverse communities. “There are many high-density urban areas in Los Angeles County ... that tend to contain much fewer, if any, bicycle facilities,” the LACBC reported. “Not surprisingly, data shows disproportionately higher concentrations of pedestrian and bicycle crashes in low-income areas than in more affluent areas. This presents a major environmental and social injustice.” Hernandez said infrastructure equity is an issue in Chicago as well. “Where the facilities are has a lot to do with where people are riding,” he said. “For instance, many of our trails are built in the more affluent communities, so it’s a question of access to even use the facilities in our city. … If we want diversity among people who ride in the city, we need to think about how facilities and resources to assist them are allocated… The biggest culture change is the actual infrastructure that makes it normal to get around by bike.” And it’s not just paint on pavement. Takayama said that, when San Francisco debuts its new bike share system later this year, “I hope there’s strong outreach into neighborhoods of people of color and low-income people.” But, as Taylor pointed out, there are cultural considerations to take into account. In Minneapolis, the initial plans for the Nice Ride bike share system didn’t include any stations in the Twin Cities’ most concentrated African-American neighborhoods. But even when that oversight was remedied, “there was the issue of how we handle this kind of system in a community that doesn’t use debit cards as much,” Taylor said. “There was the idea that having debit cards as a prerequisite for using the system was itself racism.” *Safe Streets for All* Infrastructure and image aren’t the only inhibiting factors in certain neighborhoods. Genaro Escarzaga, whose parents immigrated to Chicago from Mexico in the 1980s, didn’t feel safe cycling. “Growing up, I generally stayed in because of the constant gang presence immediately outside,” he said. “Shortly after receiving my first real bike, I was assaulted for it in a different neighborhood. I didn’t feel comfortable riding until college, when I became a year-round bike commuter.” Now, as a program instructor for West Town Bikes, he hears those same concerns from other kids. “Violence discourages the young community from cycling and taking part in outside activity altogether,” he said. Hernandez’ first job with the Active Transportation Alliance – where he worked for five years before taking the helm of Chicago’s Office of New Americans – was working with Latino families in several area schools, helping them identify and adopt more active travel habits. The biggest barriers had little to do with cars or money or cultural mores. It was safety. “And that didn’t just imply safety from cars, safety in the built environment, but what’s going on in the streets,” Hernandez said. “Are there adults on the streets? Are there crossing guards, not just to help kids cross streets safely, but also to deter crime and violence. That was an interesting dynamic that we didn’t hear as much about in other parts of the city.” That’s not just true in Chicago. A survey conducted by Engaging Neighbors, Refugees, Immigrants, in Community Health (ENRICH) in Portland, OR, found that nearly one-third of parents cited crime as a limiting factor in allowing their children to bike in their communities. Ewing hears those concerns, as well. Though they’re given a lock when they earn a bicycle through the Cascade Bicycle Club Major Taylor program, some students come back empty-handed within a few days. “Many of our kids live in apartments and, based on religious belief or cultural beliefs, parents won’t allow the bike into the home, because the bike is looked at as the lowest level of transportation,” Ewing said. “So the bike is left outside and gets stolen.” Now, because of their work with diverse youth, Cascade advocates are working with city planners to solve that problem by adding basic amenities like secure bike parking to public housing units. Those types of partnerships and solutions are blossoming across the continent. *The Future of the Movement* Standing at the podium of the Youth Bike Summit, wearing a shy but eager smile, Alpha Barry proudly professed: “I’m a student, a bike mechanic, a bike rider and an advocate.” Growing up in a small village in Guinea, a nation on Africa’s west coast, Barry said, “Only two families in the village owned a car, and even a bicycle was a treasure.” Rather than looking forward to a driver’s license, Barry longed to apprentice in a bike shop, which intoxicated him with the scent of “grease, oil and hard work.” As a teenager, Barry’s bicycle dream came true – more than 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) away, in New York City, NY. As a student at Brooklyn International High School, Barry got an internship at Recycle-A-Bicycle, where he built and learned to maintain his own bike. For 10 months, he worked with area officials on the planning and development of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway – a 14-mile (23-kilometer) multi-use path that passes through a number of multi-cultural communities – and took his first trip to Washington, DC, for the National Bike Summit. For Barry, the bicycle became more than a means of transportation. “I see everything around me in a new way, as if everything has come to life and everything is suddenly possible,” he said. Thanks, in part, to organizations like Recycle-A-Bicycle, the next generation of cyclists will likely look more like Alpha Barry than the past archetype of the affluent, spandex-wearing white male. The growing community bike shop movement is widening the movement by providing free or low-cost bicycles to youth and adults in exchange for their time and energy. Traditional advocacy groups are more often – and more effectively – outreaching to diverse neighborhoods, too. Since the inception of the Major Taylor program, Ewing and Cascade Bicycle Club have provided bicycles, education and programming to more than 430 students at some of the city’s most diverse schools. The LACBC is just one of many advocacy groups that have created Spanish-language literature and education classes. In the US capital, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association started a new effort in a predominantly African-American community “East of the Anacostia,” where bicycle infrastructure and outreach have been virtually nonexistent. Making those efforts successful, though, depends on not just evangelizing the merits of bike lanes, but “building genuine relationships for the sake of building relationships,” Taylor said. It also means understanding community needs and concerns. “What if we can make bike lanes a strategy for increasing safety?” Taylor asked. “What if bike lanes become a solution to connectivity, decreasing these communities’ isolation from an economic and social standpoint?” *Progress through Leadership* Encouraging more adults to ride is a multi-faceted equation. Taylor believes bicycle education can play a key role – especially if the teacher is from the same community as the student. This year, Taylor is working with the League of American Bicyclists to certify 75 African-Americans as League Cycling Instructors who can be ambassadors, role models and champions for biking in their communities. Especially for new immigrants, not understanding the rules of the road can curb the desire to commute by bike. Angel Chen, who moved to Toronto, from Taiwan, said in her home country bicyclists are more akin to pedestrians than cars, so sidewalk riding was common. In Canada, that’s largely illegal. Programs like the newcomer cycling program helped Chen and Teo by providing resources, such as route planning and mentorship. “The Toronto Cyclist Handbook, which explains safety tips and the rules of the road in Toronto, was published in English and in 16 other languages,” Teo said. “Safety and other cycling-related workshops were also held at community hubs, other settlement agencies, libraries and schools. There is also this unique program called the Bike Host Circle where volunteer cyclist mentors are matched with newcomer ‘mentees’ to get them familiar with the city through cycling.” While riding to work may eliminate costs for gas and transit, Nannette Rodriguez, a Puerto Rican cyclist in Des Moines, IA, said cost may be a deterrent for some potential bike commuters. “A large impediment for emerging populations in the US to adopt cycling is the perception that there’s a large investment that needs to be made in equipment,” she said. “Here in Des Moines, we have the Des Moines Bicycle Collective, which restores and repairs bicycles and sells them very economically, or trades volunteer work for bikes. Collectives like this need to be promoted to emerging populations, preferably in their language.” *Building Success* But perhaps the most overwhelming barrier for bike commuters of color is a challenge that knows no culture. “Improved infrastructure is key to building a bicycle constituency,” said Tony Garcia, a Cuban-American urban planner in Miami, FL. “In the end, what we want is a complete bicycle network, with an emphasis on protected facilities and neighborhood routes, that touches all demographics and gets everyone on their bikes.” After all, the benefits of biking are beginning to resonate even in communities that historically have been wary of active transportation. Eight years ago, local officials balked at the installation of bike lanes on Division Avenue, an iconic street for the Puerto Rican community in Chicago. “I remember the local alderman saying, ‘We don’t want this bike lane in our community,’” Hernandez said. “And, for him, it was a matter of protecting the integrity and culture of that community.” But, less than a decade later, that same street has new pedestrian crossings and bicycle facilities, connecting residents to local parks and area jobs. What made the difference? “We’ve been able to do organizing work and, in reaching out, instead of talking about bicycling, we’re talking about health,” Hernandez said. “We’re talking about access to green space and other city amenities, and bicycling is the vehicle to get us there.” Local citizens are emerging as grassroots leaders too, creating social networks that are fostering a sense of solidarity and elevating the visibility of all cyclists. In Los Angeles, Yolanda Davis-Overstreet created Ride in Living Color, a film effort that’s gathered the diverse stories of more than 60 cyclists of color. Across the nation, social rides like the Black Kids on Bikes ride in East LA and the People of Kolor Everyday Riding (P.O.K.E.R). Bicycle Familia Ride in San Francisco are gaining momentum – and reclaiming the streets from long-held stereotypes. “People think of San Francisco bicycling and they think about bike hipsters and skinny jeans,” Takayama said. But show up at the P.O.K.E.R. ride, she suggests, and you’ll see the real face of Bay Area bicyclists – African-American youth on tricked-out “scraper” bikes, a Latino couple carrying their new puppies in their front baskets, a fixed-gear-riding Filipino musician and his bicycling son. “We’re out there,” Takayama said. “There’s a lot of diversity in terms of who’s using a bicycle to get around.” The way the movement is going, Hernandez, for one, thinks cyclists like Takayama and Taylor, Barry and Camargo, won’t be in the minority for long, especially in the major urban centers. “The idea that biking is a white thing or poor thing doesn’t exist as much in the youth who are growing up in diverse, multicultural cities,” Hernandez adds. That gives Taylor cause for optimism. After all, he said, the bicycle movement is still in its infant stages. Even the most bicycle-friendly cities, such as Portland or San Francisco, have barely breached five percent mode share. “We have not had a movement yet,” Taylor said with a chuckle. “My new message in these communities of color is: ‘Guess what? You got here just in time.’ Rather than the sense that anyone has been left behind, it’s a much more positive, invigorating message. We have the potential for a great movement – it just hasn’t happened yet.” *Carolyn Szczepanski is the communications director for the League of American Bicyclists, which represents the interests of 25,000 individual cyclists and 700 affiliated organizations in the United States. *

11 years, 9 months

Blood on the bike path: What a tragic accident teaches us about safely sharing the trails (Grist)

by Beth McKechnie

Blood on the bike path: What a tragic accident teaches us about safely sharing the trails By Joel Gwadz <http://grist.org/author/joel-gwadz/> http://grist.org/biking/blood-on-the-bike-path-what-a-tragic-accident-teach… <http://grist.org/author/joel-gwadz/> A few weeks ago, just outside of Washington, D.C., a woman was hit and killed by a man on a bicycle while walking on a paved multi-use trail, aka a “bike path.” It was a tragic accident. My heart goes out to any and all that knew and loved her. It also distressed me to read the anti-cyclist reaction in the comment sections of local online news sources and neighborhood forums, when all of this could have been avoided with a few simple precautions. When various news sites reported the story online, the comments were predictably absurd. There were all sorts of attacks on bikes that reflected more on anti-bike sentiment than on the incident in question. “The path is for everyone not a bunch of spandex wearing Armstrong wannabes,” wrote one commenter. A member of the *Fairfax Underground* forum posted a story about the incident under this headline: “Bicyclist Mows Down Old Lady and Kills Her.” “Kill all cyclists,” replied a second member, “problem solved.” A little more attention to the specifics, and the authors of these remarks would have known how off-base they were. The bike rider in this incident was a man in his early 60s. He was riding an $88 department store bike, a NEXT Power Climber. I doubt that he was training for a race. He claims he gave both a ring of his bell and an audible, “on your left,” to the elderly pedestrian. But apparently the alert caused her to step in front of him rather than out of his way. The collision knocked her backward onto the pavement, according to the police report, where she struck her head. Clearly, there are things both people could have done to avoid the accident. But it is largely the responsibility of bicyclists to avoid collisions like this. Bikes yield to pedestrians — even on bike paths. Just as downhill skiers are expected to anticipate and react to other skiers below them on the slope, it is the responsibility of the cyclist to avoid collisions and expect the unexpected when overtaking other trail users. It is important to keep in mind that “bike paths” are generally not solely for bikes. They are shared spaces that usually accommodate an assortment of people on foot; runners, hikers, dog walkers, nannies pushing strollers, kids walking home from school. Then there are the rollerbladers, roller skaters, skateboarders, people with their dogs on those nearly invisible extendable leashes, power-walking moms with wild toddlers that should be on leashes, and a long list of other potentially menacing variables. Bicyclists should act accordingly. Here are some things to consider:‪‬ - Be considerate of other trail users! Give the person you’re passing a warning either by bell or mouth — a gentle “on your left” usually does the trick. Give them a chance to react, then make a good, clean pass. Pay extra attention to small children and dogs.‬ - Travel at a reasonable pace. This is not the place to try to set the land speed record. Need a workout? Keep your chain out of the “big ring” and work on high cadence at lower speeds. - Slow down in areas that are commonly occupied by slower-moving trail users. Knowing your trail allows you to know what to expect. - Obey the traffic laws. Some multi-use trails have speed limits. Most intersect with roads. Be aware of car traffic when you encounter it. What do these things tell us about the tragic incident outside of Washington? From the reports I read, this rider did everything he should have done. The police apparently agree; he is not being charged with any crime. So while we are trying to educate cyclists on how to behave more safely on the bike path, why not give a few tips to other trail users? - Be aware of other trail users by simply looking and listening. An occasional glance forward and an occasional glance backwards should tip you off that there is a cyclist approaching. - Walk on the right-hand side of the trail. If walking in a group, don’t block the whole trail. Pinch in and walk single file when faster trail users approach. Glance back for approaching trail users before U-turning on the trail.‬ - Understand that the Bike Path is basically a roadway for bicycles and other trail users. Which brings me back to all the hate that was unleashed on cyclists after the accident outside of Washington, D.C. It intrigues me that there are so many people who are anti-cyclist. Do they feel this strongly about cars? Cars are bigger, heavier, and move faster. There are more cars than bike on the roads, and they kill more pedestrians. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration<http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811630.pdf>[PDF], 4,280 pedestrians were killed in crashes with motor vehicles in 2010. Another 70,000 were injured. Statistics about pedestrians killed or injured in crashes with bikes are hard to find. What so many people fail to understand is that most cyclists are hyper alert and super cautious. A collision on a bike, whether with a car or a pedestrian, puts the cyclist at risk. And yet, when we see a tragedy like this, instead of viewing people on bikes as individuals, the haters have clumped a very complex subculture of many groups and subgroups into one simple identity — those evil “spandex wearing Armstrong wannabes.” They seem to love to take their show-and-tell experience of being buzzed by a cyclist as the general behavior of all cyclists. In the end, it is a matter of common sense and common courtesy. Is this accident a wake-up call for bicyclists to be more careful and more considerate? Yes, but this notion of being more considerate of others should apply across the board. It’s certainly something I would love to see from the car drivers as they approach pedestrians and cyclists on the road. *Joel Gwadz bikes and blogs in Washington, D.C. His 7-year-old son has accused him of being obsessed with bikes, and he admits that bicycle grease pumps through his veins. Read more of his rants on bicycling and see his photos on his blog, Gwadzilla <http://gwadzilla.blogspot.com/>.*

11 years, 9 months

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AT-Network July 2012